Politics Today

[tavyred]

There appears to be a burgeoning negative reaction in Ireland to the forced relocation of fighting age males into some of their communities, and I’ve also just seen a news report of the local Tory MP for Skegness getting pelters from locals at a public meeting also.
The public are clearing not buying the story that these chancers are escaping war zones.
Moderate politicians need to get a handle on this or the populists will make hay come election time.

 

[arthur]

There appears to be a burgeoning negative reaction in Ireland to the forced relocation of fighting age males into some of their communities, and I’ve also just seen a news report of the local Tory MP for Skegness getting pelters from locals at a public meeting also.
The public are clearing not buying the story that these chancers are escaping war zones.
Moderate politicians need to get a handle on this or the populists will make hay come election time.

Are you suggesting that populists making hay is something to be wary of? That moderate opinion should prevail if at all possible?

 

[tavyred]

Are you suggesting that populists making hay is something to be wary of? That moderate opinion should prevail if at all possible?

I think moderate politicians in power stopping illegal immigration is preferable to electing populists, yes.

 

[Mr Jinx]

I think moderate politicians in power stopping illegal immigration is preferable to electing populists, yes.

But FPTP stops populists making waves here. Somewhat ironic then that Liberals are crying out for PR. Be careful what you wish for, as I always say.

 

[arthur]

I think moderate politicians in power stopping illegal immigration is preferable to electing populists, yes.

But we have been electing populists. What was George Osborne's "Strivers v shirkers" narrative if not a populist one? And while there are a significant number of people like you and Alistair who have good reasons to believe that the UK is better off out of the EU, you cannot deny that an equally significant proportion of the Leave vote was a populist response to the invitation "Now's your chance to put two fingers up to the establishment", a position legitimised and endorsed by elected politicians. And it was elected politicians who perpetuated the culture wars, who talked of "Parliament versus the People" and who draped themselves in the Union flag at every opportunity (a fad that seems to be going out of fashion recently).

The problem for the Conservative Party is that it can't suddenly reinvent itself as the party of reasoned moderation, a position that won it an awful lot of elections in the twentieth century. This is a article you might find interesting, and it ends:

Labour’s instinct to tread carefully is understandable – the party has been bruised by immigration before, the public is still wary and liberalism on migration remains more prevalent in the big city seats the opposition already holds than the rural or small town seats it needs to win. Yet such risks can be overstated – the Tory voters most open to Labour are pragmatic moderates who see immigration as beneficial. The Conservatives, distrusted by voters, and terrified of a Farageist revolt on their right, cannot contest the new centre ground.

Britons have wised up to the benefits of immigration. It’s about time politicians did too | Robert Ford

Migrants are increasingly seen as playing a key role in our economy, yet MPs of all stripes don’t seem to have caught up with the voters

www.theguardian.com

 

[tavyred]

Art.
The fact that we have a currently have a government seemingly reluctant to do the populist thing and solve the illegal immigration problem would suggest they are not the populists you think they are.

 

[Mr Jinx]

Starmer declares that a Swiss style deal is a no go as FOM is a red line for him. Nowt like the zeal of a convert I suppose.

Indeed. Now that Starmer has come out and taken Farage's crown, I wonder if the Tories sensing carnage will then come out pre-GE saying they'll support re-joining the EU and bringing back FoM?

Stranger things have happened. It could save their skin. And what would they have to lose? If they, did I wonder if Starmer would then u turn again?

 

[Mr Jinx]

Just wondering - are any of our hardcore Remainers still willing to vote Labour after Starmer's latest utterings? If so, why?

 

[tavyred]

Just wondering - are any of our hardcore Remainers still willing to vote Labour after Starmer's latest utterings? If so, why?

Art thinks Starmer is being disingenuous.

 

[arthur]

Art.
The fact that we have a currently have a government seemingly reluctant to do the populist thing and solve the illegal immigration problem would suggest they are not the populists you think they are.

Tavy, can you tell me how a populist government would solve the illegal immigration problem? What are the populist things this government should be doing, but aren't?